Lachesis (genus)
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 Bushmaster, L. muta
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Common names: bushmasters. Lachesis is a genus of venomous pit vipers found in the remote, forested areas in Central and South America.[1] Three species are currently recognized.[2]
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[edit] Description
Adults vary in length from 2 to 2.5 m, although and some may grow to as much as 3 m. The largest known specimen was just under 3.65 m, making it the longest venomous snake in the Western Hemisphere. This is also the longest viper, though not the heaviest (it is surpassed by the gaboon viper and the Eastern diamondback rattlesnake).
[edit] Geographic range
Found in Central and South America.[1]
[edit] Reproduction
Lachesis is the only neo-tropical pit viper that lays eggs: about a dozen in the average clutch. The female is reported to remain with the eggs during incubation and may aggressively defend the nest if approached. The hatchlings average 30 cm in length and are more colorful than the adults.
[edit] Venom
The reputation of this genus is undeserved, probably made up by people who thought that their large size also called for a formidable reputation. While certainly capable of delivering a lethal bite, it is no more capable of doing so than other species.[3]
[edit] Species
| Species[2] | Authority[2] | Subsp.*[2] | Common name | Geographic range[1] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| L. melanocephala | Solórzano and Cerdas, 1986 | 0 | Black-headed bushmaster | Costa Rica: Pacific versant of southeastern Puntarenas province from near sea level to about 1500 m. |
| L. mutaT | (Linnaeus, 1766) | 1 | South American bushmaster | South America in the equatorial forests east of the Andes: Colombia, eastern Ecuador, Peru, northern Bolivia, eastern and southern Venezuela, Guyana, Surinam, French Guiana and much of northern Brazil. It also occurs on the island of Trinidad.[4] |
| L. stenophrys | Cope, 1875 | 0 | Central American bushmaster | In Central America it is found in the Atlantic lowlands of southern Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama, as well as the Pacific lowlands of central and eastern Panama. In South America it occurs in the Pacific lowlands of Colombia and northwestern Ecuador, the Carribbean coast of northwestern Colombia and inland along the Magdalena and Cauca river valleys. |
*) Not including the nominate subspecies (typical form).
T) Type species.
[edit] Cited references
- ^ a b c d McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, vol. 1. Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
- ^ a b c d Lachesis (TSN 209555). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on 25 October 2006.
- ^ Mehrtens JM. 1987. Living Snakes of the World in Color. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. ISBN 0-8069-6460-X.
- ^ List of Snakes of Trinidad and Tobago at Republic of Trinidad and Tobago Biodiversity Clearing House. Accessed 6 November 2006.
[edit] Other references
- Mehrtens JM. 1987. Living Snakes of the World in Color. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. ISBN 0-8069-6460-X.
- O'Shea M. 2005. Venomous Snakes of the World. Princeton University Press. 160 pp. ISBN 0-691-12436-1.
[edit] External links
- Genus Lachesis at the EMBL Reptile Database
